Biden Tells Flood Victims Not to Worry About Shutdown

Vice President Joseph Biden speaks to members of the media at a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, joined by Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., right, following a day in which Biden surveyed area flood damage by helicopter, in Greeley, Colo., Monday Sept. 23, 2013.

With Congress still deadlocked about the federal budget, Vice PresidentJoe Biden told Coloradans reeling from devastating flooding that any government shutdown won’t affect their ability to get assistance.

“I don’t want folks that are here in shelters or watching on TV seeing the dysfunction of Congress and thinking that all the relief efforts that they’re now betting from…are going to shut down. They will not shutdown even if the Congress doesn’t fund the federal government,” Vice President Joe Biden said Monday after touring some of the damage from recent flooding in Colorado.

The government will partially shut down beginning Oct. 1 if Congress doesn’t pass a new funding bill, and Senate leaders started work Monday on trying to find a way to break the logjam. But without new funding a host of government functions—such as passport services—will temporarily stop and thousands of federal employees will be put on furloughs.

Mr. Biden, speaking from Greeley, Colo., said people have “reason to be scared” about the prospect of a government shutdown. But, he said, disaster relief won’t be affected. Disaster relief is among a host of essential programs the government provides, such as helping control air traffic, that will continue without a spending bill. The relief for Colorado helps provide people with transportation and temporary shelter, among other things.

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